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The
Great Lakes Film Fest Premieres With A New Look
by
T.R. Septaric
Despite
the wild rumors rampaging through Erie, this weekend, September 24-27,
the Great Lakes Independent Film Festival will “open its doors” as
a bigger, better, stronger celebration of independent film. However
this year it will not be held in a brick and mortar building…starting
this year the festival will open on-line and all of the winners will
be able to be viewed on the website.
“We have been thinking about doing this for a long time,” Great
Lakes Film Association Director Steven Opsanic said. “You hear so
much about the environment and global warming it got us thinking. When
you realize how much power is used during the film fest –
electricity for the building, natural gas for heat and the gasoline
the people use to get to the fest it left one hell of a carbon
footprint.” He added that by doing the whole festival on line it
actually helps cut down on greenhouse gases. ‘Think about it…,”
he said, “…by doing it on-line you don’t have a separate
building to heat and you don’t have to drive to get there. That can
only be a good thing!”
In
addition Opsanic said "As
you may know, in 2002 we launched our inaugural film festival as the
first and only film festival to completely utilize the DLP Technology
in film presentation, a landmark event in the film festival industry.
Now, in our eighth year, once again we
have seen the future of film festivals and the cutting edge lies this
time in the internet. People around the world demand what they want
better, easier and faster along with the most convenient delivery
method.
For the past two years we have
done research and taken public opinion polls of more than 2,000
filmmakers and when the results were in, 97.3% of filmmakers surveyed
were in favor of our new internet screening delivery system. In
developing this VOD system we took special care to develop a method
that would best serve the needs of both our festival and most
importantly the filmmakers"
Within the next two years Opsanic said that the fest will take another
major step to help make the event even greener. “Right now film
makers send in the entries on DVD and VHS tapes,” he said. “We are
going to make it where all films will be submitted on-line directly to
the GFLA website. This will not only keep the plastic out of the
landfills but it will also save the film makers money because they won’t
have to pay postage to mail us their movies.”
He added that the fest is going to be taking a step within the next
couple of months to improve the experience of seeing a movie there. He
is going to be adding live chat in a box next to the movies. This will
give people a chance to talk about the movie with other viewers as
well as the chance to talk with the film makers.
“The big thing about going out to the movies is sharing the
experience with a large number of people at the same time. This will
give them the chance to do just that and when you add the opportunity
to talk to the film maker live about why they shot a particular scene
the way they did and we think that is the best experience a movie fan
could have,” he said. “When this is all set up the fest will
feature live on-line video conferencing with the film maker and that
is a huge plus!”
Being on-line also is a huge benefit for the film makers who take part
in the festival. “Instead of being shown in a building that seats a
couple hundred people with strict showing times these films are shown world wide to an audience of
potentially millions,” Opsanic said. “The
videos on the site will be on demand where anyone anywhere can click
on a title and the film will start for them within seconds.”
“We spent the last two years finding the technologies and programs
that work the best and provide the best viewing option for our
audience and security for the film makers,” Opsanic said. “The
films being shown cannot be copied to a viewer’s computer nor can
the code be stolen. We spent thousands of dollars and thousands of man
hours to find the right technology to make the movies safe and still
give the audience a perfectly running movie…that is all we could
ask.”
There is a cost of just $1.00 to watch a movie but when you consider
that a number of the films that you may watch have been to other film
fests such as Telluride, Aspen, Toronto or Cannes they are some of the
best independent films around. Also, when you consider that movies
like Titanic, Psycho and Pulp Fiction are independent films you may
just get a look at the next big screen hit of the year.
For more information about the fest, or to watch the winning movies,
please go to www.greatlakesfilmfest.com
starting at 7:00 pm this Thursday and click
here at 8:00 pm on
Saturday to find out who won!
Never
Directed
by: Devon Ford
Narrative
Short
RT:
25 mins
Beth,
a bored housewife, retreats into childhood fantasy and her world
begins to crumble. Joe tries to do his laundry only to be ambushed by
pirates and bizarre visions of lost love. Aging and ill, Peter
recaptures his youth as he battles his way out of a malevolent
hospital.
'Never' is a three-part short film cycle that eschews dialogue in
favor of purely visual storytelling. Incorporating imagery and themes
from the Peter Pan story, 'Never' follows the independent story lines
of three characters exploring innocence, heartbreak, death, and what
it means to be an adult.
The
Twenty
Directed
by: Chopper Bernet
Narrative
Feature
RT:
92 mins
Carty
Fox has struggled with his drinking and the blackouts that attend it
for as long as he can remember. But now, having jumped into the sober
world one more time, he attempts to pull himself out of the gloom and
into a more normal life. But what does that normal life look like? For
Carty, the answer arrives in the form of a message written on a
twenty-dollar bill. A message which begins to intrigue him, to take
hold of him, and finally drag him into an obsession. An obsession that
leads him on a journey into a Lynchian landscape of shame, rage, and
pain. A journey that forces him to reflect on his own life and,
perhaps, to catch sight of the shadowy person he has imprisoned for
all these years in his drunken state of mind. But will the experience
of looking at the man in the mirror set him free or send him over the
edge into never ending darkness?
Quench
Directed
by: Zack Parker
Horror
Feature
RT:
98 mins
Photographed
in the warm beauty of a Midwestern autumn, Quench tells the story of
Derik, a young man grieving the recent death of an unknown loved one.
After finding no one to turn to, Derik decides to abandon his current
life at college to visit Jason. Although best friends since grade
school, the two have not seen or spoken to one another in three years.
Once they have reunited, Derik soon realizes that Jason is no longer
the friend he once knew. Not only has he dramatically changed his
external appearance, but he is now a part of a mysterious group, a
family.
As a unique, stylish, and compelling film, Quench is sure to
challenge, unsettle, and enlighten any audience that is curious to
step deep inside of a world that lives right beneath them.
Blood
Promise
Directed
by: Dwayne Tarver
Religious/Christian/Spiritual
Short
RT:
24 mins
There
are times in life when we all feel pushed against a wall. When life
comes crashing down and we are left wondering why. Times like 911, or
the Kennedy or King assassinations seem to have no bases in reason and
exist only to remind us that pain is out there waiting to get it’s
claws into us and if it can it will surly do it’s best to destroy
us. It doesn't always have to be a national tragedy. In our personal
lives senseless mishaps can bring on crushing consequences beyond
anything we have the capacity to deal with.
RJ is a man who blames himself for his pregnant
wife’s death. He deals with fits of drunken depression and suicidal
rage on a daily basses. His life no longer makes any sense to him and
he is consumed with hate and resentment toward God, people and most of
all himself.
When a young African American couple, Darrel and
Yvette, move in next door he takes his anger out on them. Darrel gets
combative and over protective of his wife, but Yvette is moved with
compassion for the grieving man. As she sets out to try to help him
regain control of his life it causes serious problems in her own
marriage. She finds her self going against the man who loves her to
try and help a man who hates her. The tension grown until something
must give. When you see what happens it will leave an impression on
your mind that will echo into your personal life.
Mother
Bear
Directed by: Robert Stock
Animation
RT: 30 mins
Mother Bear teaches Native American children about Lead Safety.
Various tribes are represented by a child in the present. As the
learning begins, the children flash back to earlier times and hear
stories meant to help with Lead Safety
Check
out more of the 2009
Film Award Nominations
Post
Apocalyptic Erie Has A Release Date
By Rob Taylor
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Earlier this year, a movie company came
into Erie and took over a beach at Presque Isle State Park to film a
post apocalyptic world. Now, that movie “The Road” starring Viggo
Mortenson and Charlize Theron is being released to theatres world-wide
on November 25th.
For those of you who want to know what “The Road” is about…here
is a brief synopsis from IMDB.org. BEWARE though…it does contain a
spoiler!
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“The
world is in ruins after an apocalyptic event that is never described.
A father and his son are walking south in an attempt to escape the
increasingly cold, endless winter. Along the way they have to avoid
gangs of lawless killers. Their only weapon is a pistol with 2
bullets. The father has dreams about his wife, who killed herself
before the story begins. On the road to a better place, they encounter
cannibals and organized militants, as well as other refugees. At one
point they find an intact bomb shelter filled with food and supplies.
Rather than remain in this sanctuary, they continue on because they
have not yet reached the coast. The only named character they
encounter in the entire book is an old man who says his name is Ely.
Ely is harmless and alone and they share a meal and talk for a bit.
They find out Ely is not his real name and he created this false name
in order to keep from being found by other refugees. They eventually
part ways.
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The
whole journey is a struggle to survive in a world no longer
capable of sustaining life. They almost lose this struggle
when a thief makes off with all their worldly possessions, and
the Father nearly loses his struggle to hold on to his
humanity in taking those possessions back. The boy is all that
keeps him barely human. The boy is his warrant, in his own
words.
In the end, they reach the coast but find it is no different,
no better than the place they left behind. The father finally
succumbs to the illness that has plagued him from the
beginning, dying and leaving the boy alone. But he is not
alone for long before another finds him, another man holding
on to his humanity -- only he's been a little more successful
because he had help. Now the boy has a family.”
Make note of the date and keep checking ERI Jams for show
times.
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10
Men + A Steel Cage = The Ultimate PWR Match
by Rob Taylor
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Erie’s
Pro Wrestling Rampage is offering what has got to be the best
match ever for PWR when ten men including “Omega” Aaron
Draven, Lumberjack Leroux, Ivan Radsky, The Bonecrushers and
five more enter a deadly steel cage when PWR presents War
Games’ 10 Man Steel Cage Match. Now, anyone who has ever
seen a cage match…it is freaking dangerous when two men are
in the ring. It will be a lot worse with ten.
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Last
month was something to see:
Fabulous John McChesney defeated J-Rocc while the
self-proclaimed “god” and Titusville cop Rocky Reynolds
hid behind his restraining order against McChesney. He also
hid outside the ring during the match until he got mad at J-Rocc
and then both J-Rocc and McChesney beat the crap out of him.
Sassy Stephie and Angel Dust defeated Brittney Force and Vicki
Gambino to retain the PWR Tag Teams titles.
“The Wrestler” star, The Necro Butcher, was defeated by
“Big Time” Bill Collier. This match started out in the
ring but quickly spread to cover the entire arena, even into
the men’s restroom. By the time the match was done there was
not a chair left in place, a security guard was left beaten
into unconsciousness by the Necro Butcher and the Butcher was
eventually left a bloody mess in the center of the ring.
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Also the war between the
American Coalition, Jamie Scott, Lumberjack Leroux and “Omega”
Aaron Draven and the Foreign Legion, Sheik Muhammad Mustafa,
Luis Diamante and Ivan Radsky, escalated to where PWR
Commissioner Michael Roberts ordered the War Games’ – 10
Man Steel Cage Match with the addition of Real Smooth and The
Bonecrushers to round out the teams.
PWR is working hard and they are managing to make every month
more exciting and entertaining than the month before. This
article only mentions ONE match they are having this month.
They are keeping the rest secret but with all the hatred,
conniving and scheming going on in PWR Sept. 26th promises to
be one hell of a night!
PWR will be at the Cauley
Auditorium, 215 East 4th Street in Erie, on Sept 26th with the
doors opening at 7:30 pm.
Tickets are $12 for ringside, $10 general admission and $5 for
kids (15 & younger) and students (with school ID). Check
out http://rampagewrestling.com
for more information or to order front row seats.
Writer’s note – Two months ago wannabe dog
catcher Rocky Reynolds started a fight with me at the July
matches. Between the PWR security and the fact that he ran
into the dressing room…he was safe. Last month I was at the
matches and he stayed over on the opposite site of the ring
from me. I was there…and even with his security he was still
afraid to come on my side of the ring. Guess what Rocky…I
will be there again so you can just keep hiding…I will still
be there waiting!
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Rainbow
Families Erie Goes To 12th Annual Run Around Erie
12th Annual Run Around Erie: 15k & 5k Run, 5k & 1Mile
Run/Walk. Register online at www.RunAroundErie.com.
All starts/finishes are at Rotary Pavilion. Focus of race is a
fundraiser for Gaudenzia Erie. Entrance fee for participating in the
race is $20. Registration is between 7 and 8 AM.
Focus of Rainbow Families Erie Group is on LGBT families and their
children. We are a new group that is going to plan monthly outings
that are family oriented and focus on our kids forming bonds and
friendships with families like theirs! Families with mommies and
daddies, children of all ages and those who wish to begin the journey
into parenthood are welcome. Sign up for the email list http://lists.eriegaynews.com.
Email: RainbowFamiliesErie@hotmail.com.
Browse to http://rainbowfamilieserie.wetpaint.com/.
The
event will be held on September 27th at 9:00 am starting at the Rotary
Pavilion on Presque Isle State Park.
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